From Reuters

American Tori Bowie streaked to victory in the women’s 100 meters at the Doha Diamond League on Friday, equaling her personal best and smashing the meeting record with a world-leading time of 10.80 seconds.

The 25-year-old, who was the world’s fastest woman over 100m in 2014, edged out her Dutch rival Dafne Schippers by 0.03 seconds.

Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown finished third in 10.91 to ensure the leading trio all broke Allyson Felix’s meeting record of 10.92 set in 2012.

Eighty current and former Olympic medalists and nine reigning world outdoor champions opened their outdoor campaigns at Doha’s Suhaim Bin Hamam stadium, hoping to find form ahead of the 2016 Olympics in Rio in August.

“I gave the race in Doha my everything and the win was mine,” said Bowie. “This being an Olympic year, I’m eagerly looking ahead at the outdoor season.”

Kenya’s former Olympic and three-times world champion Asbel Kiprop strode decisively to win the 1500 meters in 3 minutes 32.15 seconds, with his countryman Elijah Motonei finishing second to delight the ecstatic, flag-waving Kenyan fans.

“The race went exactly as I had planned,” Kiprop said. “I was more than 1.5 seconds faster than Elijah but I wouldn’t read too much into it as it’s still just the start of the season.”

Jamaican Omar McLeod clocked the fastest time of the year for the 110m hurdles, crossing the line in 13.05 seconds with Olympic champion Aries Merritt finishing sixth having recently returned from a kidney transplant.

“It wasn’t the perfect race and I hit a lot of hurdles on the way, but I’m so happy I could win,” said the 22-year-old McLeod. “I’m going to the Rio Olympic Games with the aim of winning gold.”

Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana powered away from Kenya’s Mercy Cherono with a stunning display of front-running to win the women’s 3,000 meters in a world leading time of 8 minutes 23.11 seconds.

American Erik Kynard saw off China’s Zhang Guowei, winning the high jump with a 2.33m leap.

Jamaican sprint great Usain Bolt was among those missing from this year’s competition.

Bolt, who has not raced over 100m since winning world championship gold last August, is scheduled to compete at the Cayman Invitational on May 14 in the Cayman Islands. 

(Reporting by Tom Finn; Editing by Toby Davis)

IMAGE: Tori Bowie of U.S celebrates her victory in the 100m women event at the IAAF Diamond League athletics meet, in Doha, Qatar May 6, 2016. REUTERS/IBRAHEEM AL OMARI

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